The Ravens are one of the dominant species
in The Park. They are incredible flyers. I have watched them duel with the Red-tailed
Hawks, and the Ravens have a bit of en edge. This surprised me as I watched a few video clips
of these encounters. There is one thing though that the Red-tailed Hawk does
better than the Raven; the high-speed dive.

This image came from a day of play for 3
Ravens in The Park near my house. It was windy, nice and steady, and they
decided to spend an hour playing in it.

I have a photo of the 3 of them further
down my blog, along with a video.

From the Fog emerge Strands of
Jewels

On Super Fog day, last Sunday Feb. 1, I
was fortunate to encounter something for the first time: several spider webs
hanging in Palo Verde trees, each carrying hundreds and hundreds of micro
water-droplets. Fog is a great way to deliver water to these delicate webs,
doing so with a gentleness that allows the webs to hold onto them without
breaking or dropping, even as they enlarge. These bejeweled spider webs were
completely invisible against the white sky. It wasn't until I stepped up
to a dark background did they emerge.

There were about 6 of these webs strung
across 3 trees that were visible from my vantage point. Even with the dark-ish
background, they are still kinda tricky to see. Thank goodness for photography.
As much as I looked at these webs while I was out there, I couldn't see how
amazing they really were. It wasn't until the images were enlarged that the fine
detail of the suspended droplets became real to my perception.

This image to the left is a crop of one of
the larger webs that I photographed, at about 5" in diameter. Some of the
droplets are so tiny that a grain of salt would likely dwarf them. I did a rough
count of the number of strung-out spheres in this crop; nearly, if not more
than, 1000.

There are many jewels in the desert that
are easy to miss : )

A Super Day of Fog in the
Sonoran Desert

Since before the day I was born way back
when, here in Phoenix, I have never seen fog so thick and wide. It took me a
while to realize what was going on this morning. I quickly decided that I needed
to get up into it, and maybe even above it. I rode my bike to the main park
entrance, and hiked to the small peak opposite. On the ride over, and for most
of the hike up, I was in the middle of the fog. The air was so wet, droplets
were forming on my helmet and hoodie. Visibility was low, at less than 100 ft.
Now and then one of the peaks would peak through a break, then disappear again.
Otherwise the sky was pure white. It kept rolling in and along.

All of Phoenix was hidden beneath a sea of
Fog. Every single building was cloaked. It was peaceful and
powerful. It felt surreal as I watched the city fully engulfed in an enormous
flood, a gentle, floating and flowing flood of suspended water.

I find the timing of this super fog very
interesting. Storms have been building up to this all week long. This parallels
the way that the sports world has been descending on the city, building up all
week too. With the big game being played today, the pinnacle has arrived, and
Phoenix is unofficially the most intense place in the world.

Was the weather simply matching that
pinnacle and energy?

What a super day so far : )

Ash-throated Flycatcher pair

These birds are some of the finest flyers
in The Park. Watching them hunt bugs out of the air can be very entertaining.
Their agility and aerobatic ability are among the best in The Park.

They are also quite aggressive. I've seen
them chase birds of all sorts and sizes, and have never seen them being chased
by another bird. I can imagine a Thrasher or Mockingbird would take a shot at
them, but I haven't seen that happen.

They have a bit of yellow on their
bellies, which really stands out in the right light. This can be seen on the
perched bird shown to the image. I sure love seeing such flashes of color.

There are a lot of different flycatcher
species in The Park, and these are one of the more prolific.

Below is a video of these two do doing
their thing.

In the video, I like how the second one
flies into the picture at 28 seconds, then they both hop around until they find
a comfortable position. Once settled in they get about to the business of
preening, with some nice singing mixed in.

Thanks for sharing some of your day with
me : )

Ash-throated Flycatcher pair preening and singing

How I love watching and listening to
animal couples going about their daily affairs. They are all so different from
one another, even those who have a lot of similarities.

For example, the Mockingbird and the
Ash-throated are similar and different. They are about the same size with the
Flycatcher being a slightly larger. They both catch and eat bugs right out of
the air, also known as eating on-the-wing. They are both exceptional flyers.

They are also some of the most aggressive
critters in the entire park, in different ways.

The Mockingbird will go after a wide range
of animals, including Coyotes. These attacks are light in nature, usually a
repeated series of pecking flybys.The Ash-throated goes after other birds only,
as far as I have seen. Also, their attacks seem more forceful, like they are
intent on hurting the other bird. I have seen them dominate one of the finest
flyers in The Park, the Lesser Nighthawk, which looked pretty freaked out during
the encounter.

The greatest differences come by way of
songs and markings.

Barrel Cactus spines meet The
Sky

I love when certain earth
elements combine with sky elements. So much contrast yet so
much harmony. The red-peach-yellow gradations of color really do something to
me, especially against the blue and white of the sky.

This image clearly shows the curved nature
of the Barrel Cactus spines, one of the few cacti in The Park that have such a
feature. This, along with the fact that the ends are not barbed, makes for one
of the friendlier cacti around.

When my niece and nephew were young, this
is the cactus that I used to teach them about the sharp nature of cactus spines.
With my guidance I had them lightly touch the end of one of the spines, feeling
the sharpness. They each had a brief "ouch" experience that was superficial and
enlightening. Soon they were gently feeling other spines on this cactus,
exploring its power. They learned to respect and admire the cacti of The Park,
without the fear that is often associated with them.

This colorful cactus image is yet another
great example of the masterful artistic compositions that fill The Park. Thanks
for sharing so much beauty with us : )

Desert Spiny Lizard, female

Keep looking up and into the light! What a
magnificent little creature we share the earth with. Look that that face, so alert and
so deeply connected to source. They're also much older than we humans are, and
appear very comfortable on this planet.

This is one of the many lizards that make
The Park home. This is a medium-sized species, considerably smaller than
the Chuckwalla and Gila Monster.

The colorization of the Spiny Lizard can
be quite varied. This particular one is mostly browns and yellows and whites.
I've also seen blues and greens.

The males are quite a bit smaller than the
females, and less colorful. It's funny how such variations happens in nature;
sometimes it is the male who is larger and more colorful, sometimes it is the
female who is larger and less colorful, and sometimes it is the male who is
smaller and more colorful.

My guess is that this particular
surface-crawler is female, and what a beauty she is : )

Black-throated Sparrow
(Amphispiza bilineata)

What a distinctive face painting this
classy looking bird has going on. I love the subdued coloration, made up of
nothing more than gray, black and white. That is quite a classic look, like a
serious business suit.

This sparrow is a member of the Songbird
group of over 4600 birds across the globe. Some have just one song, while others
have more. Of this group, the Thrasher is the king with over 2000 different
songs!

The singing of a bird is so different from
the way a human sings. The produced tones are so pure and melodic, and executed
with such precision.

What a beautiful meditation possibility
such an encounter presents, to simply stand or sit with your eyes closed, and be
carried away by these magnificently performed songs, like a beautiful dance for our sense
of hearing. Such a meditation can be especially dynamic when a songbird like the
Mockingbird or the Thrasher let loose, with their hefty repertoire.

A Bejeweled Fly

I don't know what kind of flying
creature this is, but it sure has some interesting things
going on. The part that strikes me the most is that big sapphire-like eye. It
looks like it has been facet cut, like a precious stone.

This was located at the Ranger's station
in the main park area. I was shooting the bugs attracted to the outdoor
light shining there. This one reminds me of a damsel fly, and was about 1.5" long.

I still, sometimes, give little thought to
a bug that I encounter, thinking it is not interesting enough to explore. How wrong
this can be, as shown by this photo. It is almost impossible to see the intricate design of nature's
smaller creatures without some type of magnification. There is a lot going on
out there in this densely-populated world that we share. And which is actually
superior?
Any creature that can fly without external help has a one-up on us humans. I'd
love to simply fly from one place to another, like so many bugs do everyday.

Cameras are marvelous for capturing such close
images :
)

Painted Ladies acting most un lady-like

I had the privilege of hanging out with at least 4 of
these critters for over an hour the other day.

One conclusion that I've reached on them is; they play hard! For the hour that I observed,
they were busy doing one of
three things; 1) aerial boxing with other Painted Ladies and other flying insects,
2) looking for a nice place to land and catch some Solar rays, and 3) catching
rays.

Here's how it went. One would land on the rocks and
open her wings, then fine-tune her aim right towards the Sun. There she locks
on, and holds that position in seeming bliss, until another butterfly flies
nearby. When that happens, the sunbather bolts into action, going right at the
trespasser with great voracity. Several times, when this happened close to me, and I
could hear their wings hitting each others. It was like an aerial boxing match.

Most of the time there was a pair going at it.
Sometimes a third would join in, and a few times I saw four of them going boxing
away
and holding it together for about 10 seconds. Fun
: )

Summer rain is a wonderful
thing!

What a nice stretch of weather we have
been having. It is an excellent example of the power of contrast. The week
before the storms hit, Phoenix had 7 days of hot, where the temperatures
did not fall below 90 degrees.

Still, a lot of storms have come close,
then turned back around and left. That has been the story of our monsoon season
over the past several years. Thankfully, this year, a number of storms actually
made it here, and some of them were significant.

This photo is from a storm that did not
make it here, but was close enough to photograph. It was interesting to observe
this smallish and isolated cloud with major activity within. And right next to
it was a smaller cloud with similar activity. It was beautiful to watch, and
very challenging to photograph. I took over 480 shots in order to land 4 good ones, which comes out
to less than 1%! Thank goodness for digital cameras : )

Raven Sky Surfing and Jousting

What a fortuitous encounter! About a block from my
house, in The Park, is a smallish pointy peak. This peak is a favorite for some of
the larger local birds, like the Hawks and Owls. Today it was the place for a
group of Ravens to play. With a steady wind of 28+
windy, and they took full advantage. They were full of play and frolic,
spending a lot of time Sky Surfing and Jousting.

I hung out with them for 45 minutes, which was bliss
for me. Rarely do I come across such a lengthy wildlife encounter in The Park.
So I sat down on the rocky ground and captured still and moving images.

I've never seen so many soft landings and take-offs
before. Sometimes one would simply and gently open her wings, and the wind would lift her off and
up a few feet into the air, and carry her to an offensive position in behind
another bird. It looked effortless and
celebratory. (Video below)

Thank you Ravens, for sharing your celebration of life,
family, and wind with me...

Raven jousting, with barrel
rolls!

What magnificent fliers these birds are.

Dragon cloud or...?

What a wonderful stretch of weather we had
a couple of days ago. It felt like another time, as though our concept of time
was unable to hold it. It was magical, and it was mystical. What a place this is
where we live.

Part of the reason for the magical
mystical effects was due to the concept of Contrast. The week previous was our
most brutal stretch of very hot weather so far this summer. As high as the highs
were, the hardest hit came from how high the lows were. When it is 102 at
midnight, it is extreme, and it wears you down.

Then the next day is Paradise. There is no
semblance of the previous week. It is a wonderfully wet fall day. How fortunate
I feel to have just spent a fall day in The Park, all in the middle of summer.
How fun.

This is the sunset from Saturday, July 14.
The sky was very active. There seemed to be great ships and characters up there,
moving across and above the earth. Is that a Dragon...?

Antelope Ground Squirrel atop a
Barrel

A squirrel on a cactus is one of the funnest shots in
The Park. I am always on the look out for it. When it happens, it is
usually over very quickly, and all you have to show for it are a few fuzzy
images. Every now and then this episode will extend, as it did in this instance.
This little critter was up there mining cactus fruit for about 90
seconds.

It is amazing how easily and quickly these
Squirrels climb up and around and down the various different type of cactus in The Park. The Barrel Cactus must be one of the easiest ones to climb,
with their "friendly" spines that are turned in at the end. I have seen these
critters climbing around in Cholla cactus, which have a very sharp and barbed
ends. In there, the squirrels climb around with a lot more
delicacy.

When you think about it, this is an
incredible scene. What athleticism, what toughness, what balance, all in the
flow of a day under the sun, part of the beautiful symphony of instruments...a
masterpiece.

Wet baby Barrel
Cactus

How I love being in The
Park during and after a good rain. This image was captured back in March,
after one of our rare downpours.

Each time I am out there
when it is wet, I stop to capture images of the Barrel Cactus. Their tines turn
so red, like there is blood coursing through them. There is a profound illumination
that isn't present when they are dry.

Speaking of rain, it has
been a long while since we have had a good soaking from the heavens. The Park is
as dry as I can remember. The color brown is so dominant right now, with little
green. This is very rough on all of the life in The Park, from the plants to the
insects to the critters. It is so rough out there that the animals are taking to eating
cactus, not for food, but for water. This further destroys the plant life, which
is the basis for all life in The Park. It hurts to see this happening.

Hopefully we will be
blessed with some great rains later this summer...

Great Horned Owl taking flight

I went for a walk in The Park the other
evening. At one point I looked up to the left and saw this critter perched on
the rocks above. She (?) was peacefully looking around, taking in the sights and
sounds that surrounded her. I like how she has some resemblance to a bat in this
image.

Owls are one of the quietest flyers in the
world. They have special sound-deadening feathers incorporated into their
design. These feathers give the owl an especially silent and stealthy hunting posture. I wonder how
many small animals have became owl food because of this feature, where otherwise they
would have scampered in time.

It is interesting to notice the different
tools that are in use in the natural world. Others that come to mind are: the
Zone-tailed Hawk that looks like a vulture when flying above; the Wind Scorpion with the large
'arms' that look like a scorpion's claws; and the butterflies that have faces
painted on their wings, so that when they are sunning, they look like s big face
with large eyes. The wonders of it all...

Hooded
Oriole, Male

What a delightful encounter
this was. I was walking along a trail in The Park near my house, an hour
before sunset. About 90 feet away I noticed a bird atop some Saguaros, digging
into some buds. At first I dismissed it, thinking that it was a Mockingbird,
with the white slash across a black wing. I did notice the yellow color, but
figured it had to do with the setting sun. I looked a couple of more times I
decided that there was just too much yellow for it to be The Sun, so I started
shooting away. Good decision...

I have only seen the
Hooded Oriole twice in The Park before, and these new images are way better than
those from the first encounter. It
helps to be a mere 90 feet away, instead of 150 feet away. Thank goodness for long
zooms!

It feels great to have some
Oriole images worthy of printing. I'm tickled that he is on a
budding and blooming Saguaro cactus, an unusual combination.

How I love the Sonoran
Desert visitors : )

Anna's
Hummingbird and her lovely Ocotillo bloom friends

The Hummingbirds sure love this particular
cactus species. It's lovely to watch them work through each grouping, poking
into each of the blooms with
precision and speed, like a high-tech machine, yet beyond any machine that we
can build. Their alertness and quickness and aggressive nature make for a unique
character. I get the feeling that the nectar from this flower tastes
amazingly good to these fearless flyers, kinda like the bear and honey.

They can often be spotted using the
ocotillo branches as perches.

The 'thorns' of this cactus
are not thorns at all, but leaves that are rolled up tight. These have gotta be
some of the sharpest leaves around!

I love seeing such bright and contrasting colors
harmonizing in The Park...

Mexican Poppy,
Feb 24, 2008

What a glorious spring we
had back in 2008. There is nothing like a great abundance of Poppies.

From afar, they look pretty
much the same. Looking closely I was continually surprised how most all of them were drastically different
from the others. Some, like these, were orange, while most of the others were
yellow. Some were wide open and some were folded. There is a great deal of
individuality lying within the masses that make up The Park.

Oh what a time that was...

Larva of the
White-lined Sphinx Moth

These critters were out in
force on 9/08/08. I must have seen thousands of them. They were around for a few
days, then they were gone, and I haven't seen them since. They were about 3.5
inches long.

Thanks to my friend Walt
Anderson (GeoLobo.com) for identifying this critter for me. I had originally suspected that it
was the larva of a Rustic Sphinx Moth, a critter I photographed a few years
previous.

The coloration of this
caterpillar is
impressive. The accenting use of red against the yellow and black is striking. I
would love to know why and how this particular and complex color pattern came to
pass.
Look at how odd the legs are. In the front they are spindly, and in the back
they are like pillars with suction cup ends. When I print this image to 6' long,
it looks like a creature from another planet.

Looking back through the
archives for images to share, I came across this beauty, just over 3 years ago.

We sure get our share of
brilliant 'paintings in the sky' around here, either first thing in the morning, or at the
end of the day.

I love the way the colors
change as the seconds tick by. Brilliance fades to muted...delicate colors
mixing and blending.

How lucky are we...

Gray Fox

This is the only image that
I was able to capture during my first and brief encounter in The Park with a
Gray Fox.

I love the fact that these
elegant animals are out roaming The Park, in both the daytime and at night. Whether or not they live here, or just visit,
is beyond my knowing. I like to think that they do indeed call The Park home.

Thank you for gracing us
with you magnificent presence.

Grey Foxes out walking a ramada

This is the second Grey Fox encounter that I have
had. There were 2 of them making their way around the
picnic tables.

The way that they walk is so cat-like, so elegant, so
flowing. They are like creatures from a different planet, or another part of the
world. Those tails are so very long and
expressive...mesmerizing.

I hope to capture some clear images in the future, but
for now this is what I have to show. There sure are a lot of interesting
characters that make up the whole of this incredible space.

Such an exhilarating and surprising
experience, even from a distance.

Velvet Mite

This little critter, about the
size of my fingernail, is doing one of the
jobs that Velvet Mites do:
eating grasshopper larvae after a rain.

These creatures only appear after
the rain in the warmer months, and only sometimes. They really stick out from the browns and grays of the ground.
I wonder why they
have such thick fur, like a cuddly teddy bear. What a stuffed animal this would
be in huge scale, like a queen bed : )

I am fascinated by such creatures. I admire it as a
great fellow earth dweller, as one of the trillions that grace our planet, participating in the elaborate and symphonic balance of nature.

Velvet Mite

Here is a short video clip of the Velvet Mite above.
He is busy trying to consume this grasshopper larvae, and is not too keen with
my interrupting his lunch plans. He is torn between continuing to eat and taking
his lunch to a more private spot. I felt a little bad for the interruption, as I
don't like having my meals interrupted.

In
an isolated view like this, one can envision this critter on another
planet, making way through his day.

I find it curious that the red color is so bright,
making these bugs stand out against the desert floor. What's the reason for such a
'screaming' color? Maybe they are somehow yucky to the usual predators, and the
red color makes that clear.

Something more to explore...

Coopers Hawk looking for lunch

I encountered this handsome bird a few
blocks from my house, where The Park juts out to the north. I never realized how
fully patterned the breast is, completely covered in brown designs. It looks a
bit like some kinda something swimming in a downwards direction.

I love the eyes of the predator birds.
They seem so wide opened, taking in oh so much of what is going on around.

It looks like this bird spotted
something, and is taking a step to set-up for take-off. Maybe lunch today will
be a quail, or a dove, or maybe it will be a Spiny Lizard, sitting out in the
open on a rock catching rays.

Road Runner in flight

How often have you seen a Road Runner fly?
Never? Why not? Because it rarely happens for any significant length of flight.

I have been wanting to capture this particular action for
some time now, and today was the day.

I heard a pair these speedsters clacking this morning, but
I couldn't spot them. After about 12 minutes I finally saw them atop a rocky knoll.
Just then, one of them flew away and down, too quickly for me to catch. I felt sure the other was about
to follow so I started recording video. After about 9 minutes of capturing video
of a perching critter, this
great bird took off with two wing flaps, then glided down in the opposite direction of the other.

Of all the times I have seen them fly, almost all have
been gliding down like this. One interesting note; the wing-flapping at the
beginning looks like the flapping of the Mockingbird, who happens to be the star
of the next video.

Coyote harassed by a Mockingbird

Mockingbirds have a strong drive to relentlessly harass other
critters. It seems like they spend a good portion of their time doing this.
Usually it is other birds, though they will take on just about any creature out
there.

This is the first time I have ever seen
this done to a Coyote. This bird actually nipped the canine in the butt several times.

The coyote seems to be younger, like a
teenager. At first he(?) doesn't really get it, and continues to walk on. After
the second nip he breaks out into a trot, and a little faster after the third.
After the fourth nip the coyote takes off at a good running clip. What a crazy
experience for a young and timid coyote to experience. I wonder if it had any
long- effects, like if it became paranoid of Mockingbirds.

I wonder the
reason for this Mockingbird behavior. They seem unable to help themselves when
an opportunity comes along. As fun as it is to watch, I feel a bit cringy
for the coyote, who looked a bit stressed and afraid to begin with.

Raven babies get a visit from a hungry
Hummingbird

These 4 young Ravens got a surprise
visit when a female Anna's Hummingbird came along. It looks like she thought
that red color of the birds' mouths was a flower. I wonder...if the bird would
have stuck her beak in, would the baby have chomped down on her, thinking she was
food from Momma? I figure the quick Hummer would have avoided that easily.

This is another example of how fun and
interesting it can be when 2 different species come together. I find such
interactions magical.

How many wonderful such situations are
taking place throughout The Park on a daily basis. Imagine the different
possible combinations of animals coming together, face-to-face.

This is a magical place...

Raven babies way up top

These youngsters spent their formative weeks just under
the highest point in The Park. I have been told that they open their mouths to
let out heat, as well as the eating thing.

The Moon gets some Desert Love

I enjoy watching and capturing images of the Dancing
Moon...seemingly prancing along and down the profile of the mountain, being
caressed and held by the rocks and cactus as she does. I love it when the
celestial and the earth meet...something deeply calming and peaceful.

click any image for larger version

Male Gambel's Quail Cooing

Female Kestrel

I had been hoping to see another Kestrel,
so it was with excitement that I photographed this beauty. She was busy flying
around the desert looking for something to eat. She did capture a tidbit, but I
were unable to identify what it was. I've seen one eat a caterpillar and a lizard before.

These are the smallest falcons in North America, about
the size of a White-winged Dove.

click on any photo to see a larger version.

Male Western Bluebird with a Male House Finch

Well, the Blues are still with us. It has
been 7 weeks since the first encounter, and they still seem to be loving it
here. It makes me
wonder if they have set up shop in The Park, with nests and all.

I love getting 2 different species in the same shot.
There is something about the contrast and compare, especially when they both
have some nice color going on. The Finches and the Sparrows seem to enjoy
having the Bluebirds around. I will often times see them hanging out with these
colorful visitors.

American Robins

They have arrived, and they seem to like it here. It has been a few weeks now
that the Robins have been running around The Park.

The American Robin is normally found in the higher
elevations, making their visit a special treat, and it is good to have them hang around for a
while.

This looks to be a couple, with the male on the right
and the female on the left. As with many bird species, the male has more color
than the female.

Thanks for visiting us oh flitty ones...

Gilded Flicker, male

Here is another of The Park's great beauties. You can tell
he is a male by the red face paint. All 3 varieties of woodpeckers in The Park
use red to mark the males, with the Gila and the Ladderback marking located on the top of
the head.

This guy was busy pecking on this snag. I can't figure
out why. It didn't seem like he was doing it for insects, more like he was just
doing it to do it. Maybe it helps keep his beak ready, or maybe it just feels
good. I think it is because it feels good on his brain. Anyway, it was sure great to watch and hear him go about it.

Below is a video clip of the pecking in action.

Gilded Flicker, male

Here he is again, just after take off.

In this shot it is easy to see why they
are called Gilded Flickers, with that magnificent golden color on the underside of the wings.

Cooper's Hawk

Male Ladderback Woodpecker

It is always a treat to come across one of
these beauties. The Ladderback is one of 3 woodpecker species in The Park. These are especially
active, and spend a lot of time on the ground.

Ladderbacks have one of the most interesting pattern
designs of any critter in The Park. There is the swirly face paint, which
reminds me of the middle portion of a rolled ice cream cake. Then there are the
delicate white spots on the front of the red cap, like paint splatter from a
fine brush. Then there is the back...so much going on there...the stripes, the
dashes, and the spots...oh my!

What an impressive and fascinating
outfit you wear Mr. Ladderback!

Western Bluebird hanging with a Mountain Bluebird.

I experienced a Blue invasion today. About
15 Western Bluebirds rolled through The Park, and I was fortunate enough to be there. They were great models, seemingly posing for
me. What a great addition this is to our list of wonderful
critters found in The Park.

The top bird is a male Western Bluebird, and the bottom bird
is a male Mountain Bluebird. I hear that it is quite rare to see a Mountain
Bluebird in the desert. It was
very interesting how he was seen flying with Western Bluebirds, like somehow the Blues like to stick together.

What a beautiful experience. So much color and such a
presence.

Thank you blue beauties, for stopping by and for being
so friendly.

Here is a link to a site with some nice Bluebird
information: Arizona Birds

Red-tailed Hawk

How I love watching Hawks circling the
skies above...

American
Kestrel, male

The male American Kestrel was perched
inconspicuously on a branch several hundred yards away. I was fortunate to
capture an image of him just after take off

Coyote

Here is one of a pair of Coyotes that I
encountered. I was tipped off to their arrival by a couple of jackrabbits that
were running along in an unusually speedy fashion. The Coyote in the photo stood
up on the rock hoping to get a glimpse of the rabbits, but they were out of
sight by then. The Coyotes moved quickly down the mountain to the flat areas,
and were soon out of sight.